An engineering project report is a detailed report explaining the results of an engineering project. Such reports are commonly used by project engineers to keep their companies and their superiors up to date about projects. While memos are short reports that are frequently given as updates throughout the progression of a project, engineering project reports are usually given at the conclusion of a project and tend to tell the final details of that project.
Students typically learn how to write an engineering project report in introductory engineering courses, as such reports are extensively used in the field of engineering. In fact, many instructors require students to submit reports on all of the projects that they complete in class, as the contents of the report often tell the instructor just how familiar with the engineering material the students are. In the professional field of engineering, it is usually the project manager engineer who takes data from the project and compiles it into a report.
The format of an engineering project report varies somewhat based on who sets the standards, who reads the report, and who writes the report. Overall, however, most reports have a similar, easy to understand format. Usually, an engineering project report passes over numerous desks and is read by many people. As such, the report must be logically organized so that each reader can quickly find the information that he is looking for. This is especially imperative in long projects, when reports can be composed of hundreds of pages of compiled data.
An engineering project report typically begins with a title page that states the title of the project, the date, and the names of the primary people involved. Next comes an abstract that contains a summary of the project that is usually no more than a few sentences long. After that is the very important executive summary, which is usually kept to a page or less. The executive summary is an explanation of the project that is written for someone without technical experience that does not have the time to wade through the pages of technical details.
After these parts of the engineering project report, the layout depends largely on what exactly the report is about. A table of contents clearly points readers to where they need to go for their information. Usually, a separate table of contents is used for diagrams and other figures. The main body of the report generally contains detailed technical information on every aspect of the project. At the end of the report, a conclusion is included that summarizes the findings of the report and makes recommendations concerning further action.
Engineering project reports are invaluable resources used by engineers around the world. They provide everyone from the CEO of the engineering firm to the recently-recruited engineer with the information they need to work on a project. Most important is the fact that that information is presented in a detailed and logical form, so that all of the relevant information can be found quickly and easily.
By Daniel Liden